Valve



A ril 23, 1957 Filed om. 7. 1948 J. H. MILLER VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet l //v vENT JAMES MILLR A TTORNEYJ J. H. MILLER April 23, 1957 VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 00t- 7, 1948 A 7' TOP/VEKS VALVE James H. Miller, Jackson, Mich, assignor,

signments, to Scaite Company, Oakmont, poration of Pennsylvania Application ()ctober 7, 1948, Serial No. 53,269 3 Claims. (31. 137-112 by mesne as- Pa., a corheated. These systems provide special valves controlled by the fluid pressure in the system for closing off either the bypass or conduit connected to the radiators depending on the conditions of operation. I have investigated such systems and found that their valving arrangements are inadequate to prevent leakage of boiler water through the closed valve structures, and the invention contemplates a valve arrangement which will efficiently accomplish this purpose.

This valve of the invention, which will be described in detail below, is very important to efiicient operation of the system. When the thermostat in the building calls for heat for the space heating system, flow of hot water from the boiler through the radiators dynamically maintains my valve in a position where it tightly closes the bypass, this being essential in order to obtain efficient heating of the space heater system. When this thermostat shuts down, hot water circulation through the radiators stops and my valve is actuated by static system pressure to close the return line from the radiators and open the bypass, so that the boiler water is now circulated to heat the domestic hot water supply only. It is important during this period that there be no bleeding of hot water into the space heater system in order to obtain efficient and adequate heating of the domestic hot water supply, particularly in the summer time when space heating is never required, and my valve accomplishes this action.

It is, therefore, a major object of my invention to provide a combination domestic hot water supply and space heater system wherein a novel valve arrangement is provided for controlling the bypass between the two during automatic operation.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel combined space heating and domestic hot Water supply system wherein a coil for heating the domestic hot water is disposed in an expansion tank for the boiler.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel fluid pressure actuated shiftable valve for a bypass across the space heating portion of a combined boiler and domestic hot Water heater system adapted for assuring efficient scaling in either position of the valve.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a valve comprising a coupling member having in novel combination offset passages and inclined valve seats adapted to be closed one or the other by a freely swingable valve re- 'sponsive to fluid pressures in the system.

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection 2,789,575 Patent ecl Apr. 23, 1957 ice with the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein: t

t Figure l is a side elevation, partially diagrammatic and partially in section, illustrating a combined space heating and domestic hot water supply system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section through the novel coupling of the invention;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, viewed from the right in Figure 2, of the coupling of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of this coupling of Figure 2 which is symmetrical, the left half only being shown; and

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3, illustrating the manner in which the flap valve element is suspended in the coupling.

Referring to Figure 1, a boiler indicated at 11 comprises a casing 12 supported on a suitable base 13 and is closed at the bottom by a hearth 14 and at the top by a cover 15. A suitable liquid fuel burner such as a rotary wall flame oil burner may be supported to project through hearth 14 for heating water within a cylindrical coil 16 disposed within the casing 12 and comprising a helical coil of copper tubing of high heat resistance and high heat conductivity.

An expansion tank 17 is supported in spaced relation above the boiler 11, as by a plurality of uprights 18 welded at opposite ends to casing 12 and the expansion tank. The upper end of coil 16 emerges through casing 12 at an elbow coupling .19 which is connected by an upright conduit 21 to a similar coupling 22 entering the expansion tank 17. A flue outlet 23 is provided for casing 12, whereby the products of combustion from the burner after passing through the casing and heating the coil 16 may be discharged into the chimney.

The lower end of coil 16 is connected to a special coupling indicated at 24 secured to casing 12 in suitable manner. This. coupling is generally a T-coupling and is preferably arranged with its arms arranged horizontally, one arm being connected to the low-er end of coil 16 within casing 12 and the other arm being connected by a conduit 25 to a suitable pump 26 which in turn is connected by conduit system 27 to the radiators or other space heating devices indicated at 28. The angularly disposed leg of the coupling is preferably disposed upright and connected to a vertical bypass conduit 29 which rises just outside casing 12 to a suitable T-coupling 31 that has its opposite arms connected respectively to the interior of expansion tank 17 and a conduit 32 leading to space heating device 28. The interior of expansion tank 17 contains a coil of tubing 33 the opposite ends of which extend in water tight manner through the walls of expansion tank 17 to conduits 34 and 35 that are connected to a hot water storage tank 36 from which domestic hot water may be drawn by suitable pipe connections.

In practice, pump 26 is under control of a thermostat which is arranged within the space to be heated by the devices 28 so that the pump is idle or operating depending upon the demand for heat from that space. When space heating is demanded by this thermostat, pump 26 initiates operation to promote circulation of hot water as indicated by the full line arrows in Figure 1. Starting at pump 26, hot water flows through conduit 25, the arms of coupling 24, through coil 16 and conduit 21 into the expansion tank 17, and through conduit 32 into the space heater devices 28, from which it fiows through conduit 27 back to the pump. A suitable valve arrangement in coupling 24 seals off the lower end of conduit 29 as will be explained. This circulation will keep up as long as the thermostat demands heat.

After the space has been adequately heated, the then tive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to States Letters Patent is:

1. A valve comprising a modified inverted T fitting having a generally horizontal through passage provided by hollow inlet and outlet arms having vertically offset axes, means in said fitting providing a substantially upright passage intersecting and entering said generally horizontal passage from above between said arms, a valve seat on the bottom of said upright passage inclined with respect to horizontal, a valve seat on the inner end oi said inlet arm inclined in the same direction as but at a greater angle with respect to the horizontal than said valve seat on the bottom of the upright passage, said inlet valve seat opening being of smaller cross-sectional area than said outlet arm passage, and a freely pivoted light Weight valve element within said fitting adapted to be positioned against either of said seats, depending upon fluid flow conditions, said valve element being normally gravity urged onto said valve seat at the inner end of the inlet arm when there is no fluid flow through said horizontal passage and always remaining in the direct path of inlet fluid flow so as to be urged and held against the upper passage seat when fluid under pressure is forced through said passage.

2. in a flow control valve, a modified inverted T fitting having a generally horizontal passage comprising inlet and outlet arms having vertically offset axes and an upper passage opening into the horizontal passage from above between said arms, valve seats at the inner ends of said inlet and said upper passage, said seats being inclined in the same direction at different angles and each seat being inclined with respect to its associated passage, and a freely pivoted valve element adapted to be positioned against either of said seats depending upon fluid flow conditions in said valve comprising a single thickness thin metal plate of light weight, said valve element normally tending to rest by gravity on said inlet seat and lying in the path of fluid entering through said inlet arm valve seat but in non-obstructing relation with respect to said outlet arm when urged and held against said upper passage be secured by United seat by fluid flow through the passage, and said outlet arm being disposed at a lower level and providing a larger cross sectional area of passage than the opening of the valve seat of said inlet arm whereby fluid flow through said horizontal passage is substantially unrestricted.

3. A fluid pressure actuated control valve comprising an inverted modified T fitting having a generally horizontal through passage provided by inlet and outlet arms, the outlet arm being offset to a lower level than said inlet arm, means defining a substantially vertical passage opening into said horizontal passage between said arms, a valve seat across the end of said vertical passage within the fitting disposed at an acute angle with respect to the vertical passage axis, means defining a valve seat at the inner end of said inlet passage disposed at an acute angle with respect to the vertical, said seats being inclined in the same direction and the first mentioned acute angle being the greater, and a freely pivoted valve element within said fitting adapted to swing into engagement with either valve seat depending upon flow conditions, said valve element when disposed against the vertical passage valve seat lying in the path of the fluid entering said inlet arm, and said inlet valve seat comprising an apertured wall extending across said inlet arm, the aperture providing an inlet area of reduced size with respect to the outlet arm cross-sectional area, whereby substantially unimpeded flow is obtained through said valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 916,268 Cameron Mar. 23, 1909 1,196,925 Boyer Sept. 5, 1916 1,577,637 Hess Mar. 23, 1926 2,038,982 Broderick Apr. 28, 1936 2,044,921 Swanland June 23, 1936 2,048,943 Munn July 28, 1936 2,081,831 Moore May 25, 1937 2,225,840 Newton Dec. 24, 1940 2,331,602 Edwards Oct. 12, 1943 2,388,432 Nelson Nov. 6, 1945 2,588,778 Tibeau Mar. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 191,293 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1937 

